What Are These Former Hollywood Queens Up To Now?

These women were considered powerful during their heyday. They took Hollywood by storm, and everyone worshiped the ground they walked on.

She was America’s most adored businesswoman. Martha Stewart was hands-on with everything she did, whether it be in the kitchen or the boardroom. Though her personal and professional life was full of ups and downs, she managed to survive the turbulence she experienced. As proof, she has maintained her empire for over three decades.

Besides being a premier actress, Diane Keaton is also considered a fashion icon. Before she made it big in Hollywood, she started in theater. But even this Hollywood Queen experienced rejection when she auditioned for Play It Again, Sam, because she was taller than Woody Allen.

She was the quintessential “It Girl” thanks to a rare feat of being named after a $500,000 purse. Besides being the muse of Serge Gainsbourg, she was also an esteemed musician and actress.  

Marlo Thomas was a brunette who became a beloved Hollywood sensation during the 1960s. She was best known for playing Ann Marie in That Girl.

Linda Ronstadt was a folksy songstress who charmed everyone with her soulful vocals. She released big hits during the 1970s with her genre-defying style. 

When she appeared in the James Bond movie, Live and Let Die, Jane Seymour stunned the world. Later in her career, she went beyond her Bond girl image thanks to her titular role in the series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

Thanks to her dance teacher mother, Goldie Hawn began her career through dancing. Later, she became part of the popular show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.

Stevie Nicks was the much-loved and very talented frontwoman of the rock group Fleetwood Mac along with her ex Lindsey Buckingham. Though they eventually split, she went on to make beautiful music.

The lovely Barbi Benton took her first major job for Playboy at age 18. She began a relationship with Hugh Hefner soon after, and some say she even convinced him to buy the infamous mansion.

Linda Gray acted in over 400 commercials before landing the role of Sue Ellen in Dallas that launched her into fame. She continued to play the character on TV specials and a 2012 reboot that lasted for two years.

Acting, modeling, and singing – Kim Basinger can do it all. An acclaimed Ford model who got her start as a Bond girl, Basinger went on to enjoy a lauded career on the big screen.

Figure skating fans know Nancy Kerrigan as one of the sport’s biggest stars. In the 90s, her fame transcended the sports world when a rival skater organized an attack that forced her to withdraw from the National Championships.

The magical star of I Dream of Jeannie grew up singing in the church choir and nightclubs before she made it big. She appeared in several TV shows and movies before eventually taking the role of Jeannie, who she played for 5 years.

Bo Derek started her movie career at the young age of 16 in 1973, but it was her role in the film 10, released in 1979, that made her an international sex symbol throughout the ’80s and beyond. Though she would go on to be nominated for (and win) several Golden Raspberry Awards for some of her performances, Derek is still beloved in Hollywood.

Molly Ringwald became a teen icon in the 1980s after multiple collaborations with director, John Hughes. Her famous teenage roles include starring in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty In Pink. In the 1990s, Ringwald turned down main roles in Pretty Woman and Ghost and instead moved to France to star in French films.

Raquel Welch was listed at No. 2 in Men’s Health’s “Hottest Women of All Time” list in 2011. Her name is synonymous with sexy, so much so that she played “Lust” in the 1967 film Bedazzled.

Barbara Mandrell, also known as the “Sweetheart of the Steel,” came from a musical family. She grew up playing steel guitar alongside her siblings Louise and Irlene in a family band.

With over 140 credits on her resume, it’s safe to say Teri Garr is a Hollywood legend. Comedy fans will remember her hilarious performance as Inga in Young Frankenstein.

When she was cast as the sweet and sassy Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, Catherine Bach became the embodiment of the “All-American Girl” for an entire generation. Her legs became so famous, they were once insured for $1,000,000!

As the alluring yet witty Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati, Loni Anderson stole the spotlight with her stunning good looks. She married Burt Reynolds in 1988, and the two starred in Stroker Ace together.

Certainly one of the most successful actresses of the 80s and 90s, and possibly of all time, Michelle Pfeiffer has serious range, acting in films from Grease 2 to Scarface.

Erika Eleniak has made a career out of looking good in a swimsuit. The half-Ukrainian hottie first rocked the iconic red Baywatch one-piece in 1989 as the female lead Shauni McClain.

Though she’s best known as Blair Warner from The Facts of Life, Lisa Whelchel actually got her start as a Mouseketeer on The New Mickey Mouse Club. She’s also even recorded a Christian pop album!

Lynda Carter is another woman with an iconic role (and an iconic costume). If you think Lynda Carter, you think Wonder Woman, and if you think Wonder Woman, you think those cute little shorts.

The beautiful and talented Dolly Parton is a famous American singer, actress, and bussinesswoman. She first rose to fame in the 60s from her iconic country music which has earned her 11 Grammy Awards and 50 nominations over the years.

Jane Fonda is America’s exercise girl. Her name became synonymous with spandex and splits in the ’80s. It’s hard to deny how hot she was when you could see every curve of her body in those jumpsuits.

Kirstie Alley broke into our consciousness as Saavik from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But she also was on Cheers for six years, and that’s where we all fell in love with her.

Miss Sophia Loren began her career at the young age of 15 in Italy where her natural beauty was immediately recognized at a beauty pageant. Her first international film, The Pride and Passion, was released in 1956 by Paramount.

Arguably one of the most popular movie stars of all time, as well as one of the most breathtakingly beautiful, Elizabeth Taylor began her career in the film There’s One Born Every Minute in 1942.

At the young age of 15, French actress Brigitte Bardot made her modeling debut as she landed the cover of the uber-popular French magazine, Elle.

Farrah Fawcett is arguably one of the most iconic and beautiful women in the history of Hollywood. Not only was she a brilliant actress, but she was incredibly smart in regards to show business. She was one of the first women to create herself as a brand; there were Farrah Faucet dolls, posters, and many other things and she had a hand in it all.

One of the few people that have ever achieved the “Triple Crown” of acting, Helen Mirren, also happens to be one of the most beautiful women of the 60’s and 70’s. The triple crown involves winning an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony all in the acting categories which by far isn’t an easy thing to achieve.

Many people feel that Meryl Streep might be the best actress of her generation, which would really be saying something considering the competition out there. She first started on stage at Broadway before making her film debut in the late 70’s. By 1979 she had already won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role Kramer vs Kramer. She has more than 19 nominations from the Academy, more than any other actor or actress in history.

Popularly known for her role in E.T., Drew Barrymore was one of the popular women of the 90s for so many reasons. Her remarkable roles in 50 First Dates, Never Been Kissed, The Wedding Singer, and Poison Ivy made her one of the most famous 90’s actresses. And let’s not forget her exceptional 90’s fashion and style.

Brooke Shields may be more of an acquired taste to some, but in The Blue Lagoon (1980) she saw her star rise in the most controversial way. Shields had been a minor during filming; she was only 14 years old at the time of production. Although the film is not that great, it has become a cult classic.

It has been thirty years since Mariah Carey introduced herself to the world with her self-titled debut album, and music hasn’t been the same. Mariah was merely 18-years-old when she signed her deal with Columbia Records in 1988. Over the years, Mariah has released FIFTEEN records, and her career truly stands the test of time. She has five Grammy Awards but has been nominated 29 other times, as well. She also received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016 and was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2018.

Pamela Anderson was a model first and an actress second. First came her Playmate of the Month selection in the February 1990 issue of Playboy magazine. This exposure led to her being cast in the television shows Home Improvement and Baywatch.

The performer known as Cher, initially famous in the duo Sonny & Cher and born Cherilyn Sarkisian, has been in show business for five and a half decades. Her style choices range from glamorous to outrageous, with sexy being the theme, time and again. The iconic Cher took Hollywood by storm at a very young age, as she performed with her boyfriend and signing partner Sonny, creating the hit, “I Got You Babe.”

Crawford’s modeling career began when she was still in high school. She won the Elite Model Management’s Look of the Year contest when she was 17 and her life was never the same. She left DeKalb, Illinois for New York City and became one of the most famous faces in the world.

Fran Drescher is someone you either love or can’t stand. There can be no in-between, her schtick demands it. Drescher had some small film appearances in films like Saturday Night Fever and This Is Spinal Tap, but it was her role as Fran Fine on The Nanny that made her a celebrity.